Fish cells derived from various fishes possess properties that resemble those of animal cells derived from mammals. Besides, fish cells can generally be cultured at relatively low temperatures in abroad growable temperature range. Therefore, cultured fish cells seem to be highly promising in industrial and research applications from the viewpoint of production of substances derived from living bodies because cultured fish cells can be substituted for animal cells.
Established cell lines derived from corneal epithelial cells of sturgeons and those derived from scorpion fish caudal fins are known in the field of cultured fish cells (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for the purpose of supporting the disclosure of the present invention). Such established cell lines are expected not only to provide cells that can be substituted for animal cells but also to take a significant role in clarification of the ecology of sturgeon and that of scorpion fish and in raising these fishes.
Fishes of the family Monacanthidae in the order Tetradontifomes including thread-sail filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer) are coated with tough skin over the entire body and, when cooking such a fish, the skin can entirely be peeled off at a time. Among the family Monacanthidae, thread-sail filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer) is cherished by many people both as fish foodstuff to be taken as raw fish and as fish foodstuff to be cooked for tasty dishes.